Book Review: Due Diligence
BRB Publications; available from ASIS; #2247; 336 pages; $22 (ASIS members), $25 (nonmembers).
Most investigators perform online investigations routinely; they tend to use the same tools, go to the same sites, and search the same way. The Guide to Online Due Diligence Investigations: The Professional Approach on How to Use Traditional and Social Media Resources offers a wealth of tools and practices that will help investigators find new ways to search.
Whether doing a background check on a new hire or on a potential partner company, this book lays out search tools and methods, and explains how information (or lack thereof) can lead investigators to use other less-known resources. The guide also includes a sample final report, sample contracts, and a comprehensive list of social media sites. While reading, I found myself marking pages for later reference and putting the book down to try out a new tool or technique.
The chapter on assets and lien searches is especially well written and useful. The author outlines the “Five W’s” for searching for hidden assets—With Whom, Where, When Paid Ahead, What Cash, and Why Not For a Rainy Day.
Included in the book is a handy list of free online resources for state government agencies that I have started using regularly. Throughout the book, the author provides tips that leverage personal experiences and knowledge to assist investigators.
This guidebook should be on every investigator’s desk. If you get stuck on an investigation, this book can help get your project back on track. The Guide to Online Due Diligence is a good resource for investigators in both the private and government sectors.
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Reviewer: Sandy Gosselin, CPP, is a senior security advisor for Capital Power in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, and a member of the ASIS Petrochemical, Chemical, and Extractive Industries Security Council.
